Hamilton to Angels

[Hambombs]

Does this really make the Angels that much better than last year?
Torii Hunter in 2010-11: 8.9 bWAR, 7.9 fWAR

Josh Hamilton in 2010-11: 7.9 bWAR, 8.5 fWAR

I get that Hamilton is younger and has the possibility of maintaining this kind of performance longer than Hunter, but I don’t get the excitement from LA’s end.

 

[powerchord86]

@toriihunter48
I was told money was tight but I guess the Arte had money hidden under a Mattress. Business is business but don't lie

Oh shit!

 

[Jikkle]

Seems like there was some bad blood for Hamilton to go to the Angels and not even give the Rangers a chance to counter-offer. I don't think you could flip a bigger bird to the Rangers then that.

As an Angel fan I'm excited but a little leery of the move. I don't think he'll be red hot like he was at the beginning of last season but I don't think he'll be ice cold like he was at the end of it either. He just has a lot of baggage though and maybe being basically the 3rd guy will help but right now you're getting with him.

What makes the move great is though is that the Angels are almost certainly going to flip Bourjos, Trumbo, or Morales for someone like R.A. Dickey which is going to make gives shores up a questionable staff.

So in the end this move can weaken a major rival, improve your lineup, and improve your pitching.

 

[fordman84]

Scott whats his name on ESPN radio said he or someone he knew spoke with a close friend of Hamilton and this friend said Hamilton wanted to go somewhere where he didnt have to be the man....in another words, he doesnt want any sort of pressure. We all got to witness how he handles pressure last season

If he didn't want pressure, he could have taken less money here and no one would have made a fuss. When you take max years at maxx money...you are going to create pressure.

 

[Lukawren24]

@toriihunter48
I was told money was tight but I guess the Arte had money hidden under a Mattress. Business is business but don't lie

wow!! Arte got busted. Should have been straight up with a guy who gave you a lot of good years in LA.

 

[REAL_Harrison]

I'm not going to criticize Hamilton for leaving Texas or even how he did it. I had been hearing all along that the Rangers weren't too excited about bringing him back and they had more then enough time to negotiate a deal that made both sides happy. If you're going to say he should've given them more time because of what they mean to him then you need to open your eyes to how the world works. As nice as the Rangers were to him, he's still a replaceable employee to them. He doesn't need to consider they're needs, he needs to consider his and his family's and obviously being locked up for longer for more money is the way to go. All that being said my initial reaction was that it's not a great move for the Angels but I think they're doing it as much to win the news cycle over the Dodgers as they are for their on-field product

 

[Lukawren24]

If he didn't want pressure, he could have taken less money here and no one would have made a fuss. When you take max years at maxx money...you are going to create pressure.

That may be true for some players, players who really and truely care about their team and winning. They sign a max deal and want to prove that they were worth the money. In my opinion Hamilton isnt made that way...he is a guy who only felt pressure when he was playing to get a max deal(and we saw how he handled that pressure the second half of the season when he knew he was playing for a max deal and topped it off with a dropped fly ball). Now that he has it he has it, they cant take it away. He can sit back and let Albert carry the weight while he collects his fat check regardless if he hits .250 or .350.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

If he didn't want pressure, he could have taken less money here and no one would have made a fuss. When you take max years at maxx money...you are going to create pressure.

Sure there will be pressure to win, but Angels nation is waiting for the next domino to fall. An Outfielder is going to be traded for a starting pitcher. There's no doubt about that. The Angels aren't going to contend with the Starting pitching they have right now.

Hamilton batting behind Pujols & in front of Trombo or Morales will give him plenty of pitches to hit. He'll be just fine in Anaheim.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

The Rangers made an offer a week ago that featured less guaranteed money to the former AL MVP. According to Daniels, Hamilton indicated at that time that it might be time to move on, but the Rangers and Hamilton's representatives kept talking.

"It wasn't like NFL restricted free agency where he was going to come to us with an offer sheet," Daniels said. "I never thought [Moye] was going to tell us to the dollar what he had, but we fully expected to hear from [Hamilton] before he signed, not after."



So the Rangers did indeed make him an offer.

Josh Hamilton joining rival Angels; Rangers' Jon Daniels 'disappointed' | Texas Rangers News - Sports News for Dallas, Texas - SportsDayDFW
Five quick thoughts on Josh Hamilton heading to Angels | Texas Rangers Blog

 

[Jikkle]

It's rare that any player no matter how much they love winning or their team is going to take less money and years to stay with them especially in baseball.

Jered Weaver is the only guy that comes to mind who take a lot less money then he could've gotten because he was happy with where he was at.

So I don't have a problem with what Hamilton did. It's going to be his one and only mega deal and I think everyone in his situation would do the same thing. The Rangers were good to him but his production was good for the Rangers as well so neither side really owes each other anything.

 

[romeo212000]

I'm not going to criticize Hamilton for leaving Texas or even how he did it. I had been hearing all along that the Rangers weren't too excited about bringing him back and they had more then enough time to negotiate a deal that made both sides happy. If you're going to say he should've given them more time because of what they mean to him then you need to open your eyes to how the world works. As nice as the Rangers were to him, he's still a replaceable employee to them. He doesn't need to consider they're needs, he needs to consider his and his family's and obviously being locked up for longer for more money is the way to go. All that being said my initial reaction was that it's not a great move for the Angels but I think they're doing it as much to win the news cycle over the Dodgers as they are for their on-field product

The punk part of it was Hamilton going back on his word and not giving the rangers a chance to match like he said he would.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

It's not like the Rangers didn't have an opportunity to resign Hamilton. They had all last offseason, the entire season & plenty of time during this offseason. Obviously they didn't think anybody would offer Hamilton the contract he signed. As far as I'm concerned this is nothing, but sour grapes from the Rangers organization.

Now they're just trying to save face because they absolutely BLEW IT.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Hamilton Pujols...best 3-4 in the game. Just passed Fielder Cabrera

 

[romeo212000]

It's not like the Rangers didn't have an opportunity to resign Hamilton. They had all last offseason, the entire season & plenty of time during this offseason. Obviously they didn't think anybody would offer Hamilton the contract he signed. As far as I'm concerned this is nothing, but sour grapes from the Rangers organization.

Now they're just trying to save face because they absolutely BLEW IT.

Wrong. They were in extension talks with josh last offseason until he had his relapse and they both decided to put that on hold for the time being. Then josh repeatedly said that Texas would have the opportunity to match any offer. He lied. I don't know why I'm surprised, but good riddance. We'll probably have to take a step back for a year to regroup, but I'm okay with that. Fuck that son of a bitch.

 

[powerchord86]

:eek2:

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Wrong. They were in extension talks with josh last offseason until he had his relapse and they both decided to put that on hold for the time being. Then josh repeatedly said that Texas would have the opportunity to match any offer. He lied. I don't know why I'm surprised, but good riddance. We'll probably have to take a step back for a year to regroup, but I'm okay with that. Fuck that son of a bitch.

You actually expect a player who's a UFA to tell a team that's made him an offer that he likes to tell that team wait a second I have to call my former team & see if they'll match?

GOOD LUCK. LOL!!

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Sooooo.... reports are that the Rangers offered him 4yrs for $100 million last week.

 

[romeo212000]

You actually expect a player who's a UFA to tell a team that's made him an offer that he likes to tell that team wait a second I have to call my former team & see if they'll match?

GOOD LUCK. LOL!!

Ummmm he says let me consider that offer and I'll get back to you. It happens all the time genius.

Point is if you're not going to do that fine. But don't say you'll do something and make yourself out to be a liar.

 

[romeo212000]

Sooooo.... reports are that the Rangers offered him 4yrs for $100 million last week.

Meaning he just wanted out. Good riddance. I can't wait to watch out pitchers strike him out on three pitches in the dirt.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Ummmm he says let me consider that offer and I'll get back to you. It happens all the time genius.

Point is if you're not going to do that fine. But don't say you'll do something and make yourself out to be a liar.

He's an UFA. He doesn't have to do any favors for any team. Hamilton doesn't owe the Rangers anything. They paid him his contract & he played very well for them. Apparently the Rangers offered him 4 years 100M. He got a better offer.